Merle Cummins

Funeral Services: Thursday, March 24, 2011, at 10:30 a.m. at the Fontanelle United Methodist Church with burial at a later date.  

Family Visitation: one hour prior to service from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 24th at the Fontanelle United Methodist Church.

Memorials: To be established in the Merle Cummins Memorial Fund.

Merle Walter Cummins was born December 31, 1930 to Charlie F. and Mildred Ione (VanVolkenberg) Cummins in Fontanelle, Iowa. He passed away March 18, 2011 at the Adair County Memorial Hospital in Greenfield, Iowa at the age of 80.

Merle grew up in the Fontanelle area and worked for his father as a surveyor during his school years. He graduated from Fontanelle High School in 1949. After graduation he worked for the Adair County Surveyors, as a heavy equipment operator in Des Moines, and then with his father. He joined the Air Force and served his country from July 17, 1951 to July 16, 1955. He returned from service and for one year worked for his brother Charles Cummins in Fontanelle and later worked as a carpenter. He moved to California and also had lived in Texas and Florida. His most recent years were spent in Fontanelle.

He was married to Ruth Weed and they were the parents of four sons: Brian, Barry, Scott and Danny. Later he was married to Edith Warner.

Merle enjoyed music and loved to dance, play pool, shoot marbles, spend time with his mother, looked forward to family Christmas dinners and had an interest in old cars.

He was preceded in death by his father, Charlie Cummins and his mother Mildred Ione Cummins.

He is survived by his four sons: Brian Cummins and wife Sandi of Las Vegas, Nevada, Barry Cummins of Huntington Beach, California, Dan Cummins of Las Vegas, Nevada and Scott Cummins and wife Cindy of Las Vegas, Nevada; nine grandchildren, Brian II, Joshua (Jennifer), Shane, Tony (Tabitha) Cummins, Zach Boyer, Wendy and Crystal Cummins, Angela (Richard) Gist and Erika Boyer; eight great grandchildren, Keimani and Keilianna Johnson, Collin, Rosalyn and Scottie Cummins, Christian, Caitlyn and Evan Gist; sisters, Lois Prunty and husband Bert of Jekyll Island, Georgia, Marcene Millhollin and husband Lyle of Greenfield and Patricia Wambold and husband Don of Fontanelle; one brother, Charles Cummins of Fontanelle; several nieces and nephews; other relatives and friends.